The Ultimate Guide to Client Portal Development in 2025

Are you a big fan of chasing after your clients? Of trying to get them to notice the resources you’ve just shared with them? And what about getting them to take an action during the complex onboarding phase or even while you’re trying to get them to achieve a success plan milestone. Where do you send them to? Another google sheet? A project management tool? Another resource center on the company website? You might not know this yet, but there’s a better way. A way that allows you to not only get on the same page with your clients (literally), but even empowers them to be self-guided and work autonomously towards their goals, and it's called - a customer portal software.

The client portals you used to know are a thing of the past.

Traditional client portals were built with a singular focus: provide a centralized location for customers to access support resources. These early versions were:

• Static and Uniform: The same interface for every customer, with very little to no customization at all. 
• Support-Centric: Focused primarily on ticket submissions, FAQ libraries, and basic self-service.
• One-Size-Fits-All: Minimal personalization meant that the experience rarely reflected individual needs or behaviors. 

These platforms served their purpose at the time, but as customer expectations have evolved, so too has the role of a client portal.

Client Portals of 2025: A New Era of Personalized Interfaces

The client portal of 2025 isn’t just a support tool—it’s a full-fledged client interface designed to create a personalized, seamless, and proactive customer experience. Key characteristics include:

• 1:1 Customer Experience: Every interaction is tailored, ensuring that customers receive the guidance and information they need—just as if they were interacting with a dedicated account manager.
• Dynamic and Real-Time: Interfaces update on the fly to reflect current customer behavior, product updates, and emerging trends.
• AI-Powered Personalization: Advanced algorithms analyze usage patterns, preferences, and contextual data to deliver highly relevant recommendations and next steps.
• Contextual and Intuitive: Gone are the days of static content. Modern portals offer interactive dashboards, self-service features, and real-time support that adapt to each user's journey.
• White Label and Fully Customizable: Today’s customer portal software allows businesses to brand and tailor their portal interfaces, ensuring a cohesive experience that mirrors the company’s identity.

For a deeper dive into building these custom solutions, check out our article, Don’t Buy EverAfter—Build It Yourself.

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What should a customer portal include?

When building a client portal for 2025, it's important to think beyond a single-function support hub. Today, customer portals can (and should) incorporate multiple content pieces that enhance every stage of the customer journey. The first question you’ll want to ask is: - Which specific customer program am I running at the moment? That’s because your client portal should look very different for a customer who’s currently during the onboarding phase and should be exposed to a personalized experience of a  Client Onboarding Portal vs. a different client who’s currently in the mids of a success plan program.  

Let’s dive into these two scenarios. 

Client Onboarding Portal

The client onboarding portal is designed to be the first point of engagement. It guides new users through the initial setup and early interactions with your product or service. Key features include:

• Self-Service Onboarding: Interactive tutorials, guided checklists, and a resource library to help users quickly grasp core functionalities.
• Personalized Guidance: Tailored content based on the customer’s role or package ensures that each user finds relevant information right away.
• Smooth Transition: An intuitive interface that transitions users from setup to active engagement, to the next step within their client journey depending on the definition of the company. 
• White labeling - You don’t want your customers to have to log into another system on top of your own software. This is why it's crucial to use a white label client portal software. 

For more details, check out our Client Onboarding Portal Glossary Entry.

Success Plan Portal

While onboarding gets your customers started, a success plan portal keeps them moving forward. This component focuses on creating dynamic, ongoing customer success plans that drive action and foster long-term engagement. Key elements include:

• Personalized Success Plans: Clearly defined goals and actionable steps tailored to each customer’s journey.
• Real-Time Updates: Dynamic dashboards that adjust based on user behavior and performance metrics, ensuring that customers always have up-to-date guidance.
• Proactive Engagement: Automated alerts and recommendations that help customers stay on track, reinforcing a 1:1 experience even at scale.

Learn how to build a success plan portal that drives action in our article, Crafting Customer Success Plans That Drive Action.

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How to create your first client portal?

You’re probably thinking that bringing a client portal to life is probably a long process that includes many development hours and involvement of multiple teams in your company. The reality is - It doesn’t have to be this way. With a structured approach and the right tools, it becomes a manageable—and even an exciting project. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you build a dynamic, AI-powered client interface that meets modern expectations.

Determine Your Tech Stack

Start by evaluating your current systems. Identify which platforms (CRM, ticketing, analytics, etc.) can feed valuable data into your portal. The right integrations ensure your portal is data-rich and offers actionable insights about your clients.

Leverage an AI-Powered Interface Builder

Use a tool like EverAfter’s AI-native interface builder to bring your vision to life. Technologies like EverAfter allow you to automate much of the heavy lifting, using artificial intelligence to create a customized client portal based on your inputs.

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Select the Program to Launch

Decide on the focus of your portal. Whether you want to start with a client onboarding experience or a success plan portal, having a clear objective helps tailor the design and functionality to your clients’ needs.

Connect to Your Data Sources

Integrate all relevant data sources to give the AI a complete picture. This could include customer behavior data, support interactions, and sales metrics—ensuring the portal delivers personalized, real-time insights.

Answer a Few Key Questions

Provide essential details about your customer journey, goals, and preferences. These inputs guide the AI to design an interface that reflects your unique business requirements.

Upload Existing Materials

Incorporate your current resources—tutorials, guides, FAQs, and training content—into the platform. These materials help create a familiar environment for your clients while enhancing the overall experience.

Let the AI Build the First Program Portal

Sit back and allow the system to generate your initial portal. The AI uses your inputs and data to craft a functional, branded interface that you can refine and test.

Share with Clients

Roll out your new portal to a select group of clients. Their real-world feedback is invaluable for understanding what’s working and where improvements are needed.

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Constantly Iterate

A client portal is never a “finished” project. Use performance data and customer feedback to continuously tweak and enhance your portal—ensuring it evolves alongside your clients’ needs.

For more details on how AI can streamline this entire process, check out our AI-Native Interface Builder.